1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to intra-vascular devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to a stent for treatment of intra-vascular aneurysms.
2. Description of the Related Art
A self-expanding stent-graft typically includes a self-expanding stent and a graft material sewn to the stent. In stent-graft deployment systems, the self-expanding stent-graft is restrained within a sheath. After placement of the stent-graft at the desired location via fluoroscopic guidance, the physician retracts the sheath to deploy the stent-graft, i.e., to expose the stent-graft and allow it to self-expand.
However, the human anatomy is tortuous by nature. Thus, during guidance of the stent-graft to the desired location, the stent-graft is subjected to significant bending and flexing. A conventional stent-graft has practical limits to the allowed amount of bending to avoid damage or destruction to the stent-graft. Avoiding extreme bending or destruction of the stent-graft limits the range of anatomical variation in which the stent-graft can be used.
Further, to guide the stent-graft to the desired location, the stent-graft is compressed within the sheath to have the smallest possible cross-section, i.e., to have the smallest possible stent-graft delivery profile. However, conventional stent-graft designs imposed practical limits on the possible reduction of the stent-graft delivery profile.